Is Royston Drenthe wasting his talent because he lacks self-discipline?

There are reports in the media that on-loan Everton winger Royston Drenthe is looking for a return home to Feyenoord.

The 25 year-old has been on-loan at the Premier League club this season from Spanish champions Real Madrid, where his contract expires in the summer.

Trouble

When Royston Drenthe arrived at Everton like many other Evertonians I was excited to see a player of such promise at our club.

I knew that Drenthe has talent but I also knew that he had problems at virtually every club he had been at.

When Drenthe joined Real Madrid from Feyenoord he was considered one of brightest young players in Europe. He had a decent first season at the Bernabeu before falling out with club staff after being dropped for a game against Valencia.

The next season he suffered with anxiety issues and missed three games, after he asked boss Juande Ramos to leave him out of the squad.

In 2010 Drenthe moved to Hercules on a season-long loan. Again he was in trouble. He decided to show up a week late after the winter break. The coaching staff and clubs board of directors were furious with the winger. He cited the reason for his late return as a loss of confidence in the clubs management.

At the start of this season he joined Everton on a season-long loan and most people knew his reputation for being a bad boy. However that was put to one side because he was a player with undoubted talent. Drenthe ruined himself again by reporting late for training after returning from compassionate leave.

Everton boss David Moyes took a hard line approach. The Scot told the winger to stay away from the club and he missed Everton’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Liverpool. Royston Drenthe had aliened yet another club and manager.

Brain

Royston Drenthe may have football talent but he lacks a football brain. He also lacks the discipline to make him a player at the top level of the game. He had a chance to make a name for himself in the Premier League and he’s blown it.

The 25 year-old is now practically begging his hometown club Feyenoord to take him in this summer. It’s a sad state of affairs for a footballer that promised so much, but has so far delivered very little in his football career.

Everton fans loved his unpredictability and his willingness to run at defenders. However they didn’t appreciate the fact that he would lay on the ground for about two minutes when he wasn’t given a foul. They also didn’t appreciate his sometimes ridiculous theatrics.

Control

Royston Drenthe does what he wants and doesn’t seem to listen to anybody. That is why he struggled to make it at Real Madrid and that is why he will fail to make it to the top in football. He does have a big personality and sometimes that personality makes him do stupid things.

The fact that he has done the same thing at a few different clubs suggested that he hasn’t learnt from his mistakes. Its one thing making mistakes and learning from them but to do something over and over again without learning is just dumb.

Royston Drenthe lacks self-discipline and self-control. Those are two of the biggest attributes needed, along with talent to become a top footballer and they are obviously absent from Drenthe’s psyche.

Change

Just like Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini said about Mario Balotelli, if Royston Drenthe doesn’t change his ways then his football career will be ruined. His big personality is both a strength and a weakness.

I just hope at his next club Royston Drenthe manages to start to show some sort of discipline and has a successful career. Unfortunately for the Dutchman I don’t think he will ever change and his enormous potential will be wasted.

Is Royston Drenthe wasting his talent?